Driussi’s back! Stuver is a wall! Rado is a maniac! We’re gonna win the World Cup!
OK, maybe that was just me after Wednesday’s game, but damn if that mid-week win didn’t feel good after the previous 7 days where Austin FC was knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup, dropped a Copa Tejas match at Houston, and then stubbed its toe off-the-field with an insane ticket price increase for next season. Bye the way, Actual Tony Precourt has stopped following The False 9 on Twitter after this week’s piece.
The mid-week matchups also turned the Western Conference into a beautiful, jumbled mess as just 7 points separate 4th through 12th place. Austin fortunately avoided the madness of the MLS middle last year. This season, it looks like the club is joining the chaos. Which of course means…..
IMPACT WATCH RATINGS ARE BACK! If you don’t remember, we’ll assign ATX Impact Watch Rating’s to select games each week on a scale from 1-5. 1 means little to no impact for Austin. 5 is a huge match that affects the Verde.
One quick note for the week: every match in the league this Saturday is free on Apple TV. Enjoy!
MLS Sickos Game of the Week
NYCFC vs New England Revolution – 2:30 p.m. (Apple TV – Free)
Here’s a fun stat for anyone that isn’t a Pigeons fan: NYCFC has 1 point in its last 6 MLS games. ONE. POINT. And the supporters are letting it be known that they aren’t happy.
Saturday Afternoon Delight
Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers – 3:30 p.m. (Fox/Apple TV)
One of the best rivalries in MLS gets the national TV audience Saturday as Portland travels up Interstate 5 to face their arch-nemesis in Seattle. Seattle is technically in first place but that won’t last long as both LAFC and St. Louis have multiple games in-hand while being just one point behind the Sounders. Their backslide has been thanks to an unexpected poor run of form at home, where the Emerald Green have lost three straight. Here’s hoping they turn that around this weekend as Portland is right on Austin’s heels in the standings.
The Side: Please fight and win Seattle
ATX Impact Rating: 4
6:30 p.m. Block (Apple TV)
Philadelphia Union vs Club de Foot Montreal
New York Red Bulls vs Orlando City
Inter Miami CF vs D.C. United
Columbus Crew vs FC Charlotte
FC Cincinnati vs Chicago Fire
On one hand, these are mostly interesting games. On the other hand, they have absolutely zero meaning to Austin FC’s place in the standings. Just enjoy them. The MLS 360 show will be your friend here.
7:30 p.m. Block (Apple TV)
St. Louis CITY vs Houston Dynamo
Minnesota United FC vs Toronto FC
FC Dallas vs Nashville SC
Here’s the block of games that really matter to ATX fans this week. With the right results, Austin could not only get some breathing room from teams down the table, but could also make up ground on ones above them.
Let’s start with the most grotesque matchup of them all: the fighting Jared Stroud’s vs Houston. CITY have been pretty damn good all season and are on track for a top 2 finish in the West. Realistically, it would take an epic swing for Austin to catch them. But Houston, well those rat bastards are just one point behind the Verde with a game in-hand despite getting smacked by Vancouver in the mid-week (6 GOALS HAHAHAHAHA). I despise Jared Stroud. I loathe being below Houston in the standings more.
The Side: CITY sourcery
ATX Impact Rating: 4.5
Austin picked up three points on Minnesota Wednesday night with the late win to pull even on points with the Loons. Now comes an opportunity to jump them and crawl higher up the table if Toronto can do us a favor. The Red & Black won a real live MLS game last week. I know, it’s shocking. A second straight would be a huge help to ATXFC.
The Side: Oh Canada!
ATX Impact Rating: 4
It doesn’t feel like it given the way the season has gone so far, but Austin is just four points out of 4th place. A spot that FC Dallas happens to hold right now. The Toros have been very consistent, but also haven’t been winning a ton (they have just one more victory than Austin). I feel like Austin’s ceiling is higher than Frisco’s and that may prove itself out in the second half of the season. For this week though, FCD has to deal with a damn good Nashville team. Have fun with that. A Frisco loss and Austin win means the two sides will be separated by just one point at the end of the weekend.
The Side: Smashville
ATX Impact Rating: 3.5
8:30 p.m. Block (Apple TV)
Colorado Rapids vs San Jose Earthquakes
A surprise Colorado result not only slows down San Jose’s momentum but could draw Austin level with the Quakes on points. Colorado is going to miss the playoffs. San Jose will not. Getting above San Jose before the end of the year is imperative.
The Side: Rocky Mountain High
ATX Impact Rating: 3
9:30 p.m. Block (Apple TV)
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Sporting Kansas City
Don’t look now, but Sporting are beginning to charge into playoff contention. They are just two points below the line and have taken 10 points in the last 5 games. A weekend road trip to Vancouver is never easy. BC Place is where streaks go to die. Best possible result here is a draw. It keeps Sporting at bay while also giving Austin a chance to leapfrog Vancouver.
The Side: A friendly tie, eh?
ATX Impact Rating: 3
Uncle Tony P.
Uncle Tony P. is a lifelong Austin FC supporter and overall handsome son of a bitch who always has a full supply of mustard on hand for his Verde friends.